The Guardain
by Lisa Maire
Summary: NeilAndrea! well ok mainly an Andrea storie. based on the move 'The Guardain' when her past comes back to haunt her, Andrea has to make a life changing descion, casuing her colleges to discover her hidden past
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** The Guardian

**Summary**: Ever since she came to Sun Hill Andrea's past, has been pretty much hidden, until one day it comes back to haunt her, and her colleges learn a few secrets they didn't now about there colleague

Ok this is mainly and Andrea fic hopefully there will be a bit of Neil in. this is based on the movie 'The Guardian'.

I know there is no such thing as the UK Coast Guard, but for the benefit of this story the US Coast Guard has been replaced by UK.

'I don't own the characters of or the plot.'

* * *

_There's a legend of a woman who lives beneath the sea. She's a fisher of men. A last hope for all those who have been left behind. Many _

_survivors clam to have felt her hands beneath them, pushing them up to the surface, whispering strength until help could arrive. But this _

_of course is only a legend … _


	2. Chapter 2

'Serria Oscar from 943, on way'' Andrea said looking at Tony, who pressed the siren button and put his foot down on the gas. Ripping threw the streets of Sun Hill, they sped a corner and met there destination. Honey and Will had been called out to an arson, they were already there trying to keep the public back, that was when they called for back up. Tony pulled up behind the area car. As she got out Andrea could see the thick black smoke rising dramatically into the air.

'Hey'' Honey said as Andrea came up to her.

'Hey, what happened?' she asked.

'Not sure, looks like arson'' she told her as together they pushed the crowds back, 'we have a witness who said they herd glass breaking, minutes before the fire started, but we'll have to wait for the forensic report to confirm''

together they pushed the crowds back, and just in time for the next minute there was a humongous bang, causing the crowds to scream, everyone turned to look at the burning building, as the flames rose, suddenly there was a giant red flame that rose into the air causing a woman in the crowd to faint, Honey rushed to her assistance.

'Serria Oscar from 158, ambulance urgently required.'' She said feeling the woman's pulse, ''Andrea?''

But Andrea had frozen, staring at the orange flames.

'Andrea?' she heard her name as though from a far of call.

FLASH BACK: Rushing water, bright red flames and the sound of an explosion.

'Andrea?!' Honey's voice filled her ears, pulling her back to the present, she was breathing deeply, she turned to face Honey just as the brigade arrived 'give me a hand' she said looking at her as though she was nuts, she was looking at her with amazement, she had never hesitated before, but this time was different, she had gone white. She came over and helped her with the crowds until back up arrived.

* * *

'Hey Honey what's up?'' Gary said coming up to her, she had been staring at Andrea who had been talking to a witness.

'Nothing is just.' She let out a sigh and looked at Gary. 'Andrea froze today, when I needed help.'

'Well these situations effect people in different ways' he said, trying to make it sound as though it could happen to anyone.

'Yeah but this was different, I've never seen her like that before.'

'Well you now what you need to do.'' He said as she looked at him 'Talk to her, you her mate, she'll open up to you.' He assured her, Honey thanked Gary just as Tony called him over to talk to the brigade. The trip back to the station was silent; Andrea sat in the area car staring out of the window, even when Tony said what a good job they'd done with crowd control she still remained silent.

'Hey you lot well done' Ken called as Andrea, Honey and Becky walked into CID to hand in there statements and for the debriefing, she saw Neil talking to the DCI, but gave no attempt of acknowledgment, and took up a seat near to the window.

'Right listen up'' Jack said looking up at his relief, Uniform dealt with what appeared to be arson earlier today …' but the rest of his words were drained from Andrea's mind as she looked out of the window.

FLASH BACK: ''You've got five minutes'' a man called, then there was a flash of orange flame.

* * *

She heard the locker door open behind her, but kept her eyes on her locker.

'Hey' Honey said closing the door behind her. And walking slowly towards her. 'Andrea are you alright?' she asked.

'Fine' she lied.

'I don't believe you' She said looking at her.

'I just had a bad day that's all.' She said pulling her jumper over to her head.

'Yeah well we all get them, there's nothing wrong with that, it's nothing to feel guilty about.' She said sitting down.

'I shouldn't have panicked,' she said suddenly. 'Were trained fro this I shouldn't have panicked.' She said chucking her hair brush into the locker with a thud. Honey looked worried, she had never seen her like this before.

'Hey come on.' She said putting an arm on Andrea as she sat next to her. 'This isn't just about to day is it?' when Andrea didn't say anything, she took it as a yes. 'What is it?'

There was silence then Andrea spoke. 'When I was little my dad took me to the beach, I was only about 7 or 8. it was one of those family days out you have when you're a kid, there was me, my parents my brothers and my little sister she was only three. Any way she and my older brother were playing in the water, when the tide got a hold of her and she got swept out.' She could feel a frog in her throat. 'My mum was past herself we all were, I can't rally remember what happened next but, all can remember was this helicopter, coming to her rescue, someone I don't even no who called the UK Coast Guard, and if it wasn't for them she would have drown. They saved her. The relief my parents felt when they put my sister in my mums arms was unbelievable, and it was then I new what I wanted to be. I wanted to be a coast guard rescue swimmer, and I was …


	3. Chapter 3

''_**When i was about nine.' **_Andrea told Honey '_**My dad asked me if i wanted to join these sea cadets, and by the time i was twenty two i was a member of the UK Coast guard. It was great, but the best thing about it was saving lives ...'' **_

The bearing sea. The waves were violently crashing into each others and rising to highs of houses. A body rises and breaks the service of the bracing sea. The noise of rushing water, helicopter propellers and cry's for help fill her ears. Treading the surface she spotted those in need, and started to swim towards them breaking threw the waves. She saw a male of built out posture cling to a life raft and a female trying to stay a float in the sea, with out any help. She reached the female first.

'I'm a Coast Guard rescue swimmer I'm here to help you.' she said taking a hold of the woman's arm, who was desperately trying to stay a float, just as the man made a move towards her. 'No' she shouted pointing at him. 'Stay with you flotation I'll be back for you'' she heard his pleading cry as she stared to pull the woman, towards the hovering helicopter.

Helicopter: Carl reached over from the open door and pulled the life basket towards him.

'Basket is out side the cabin door and going down' he said into the radio, informing the pilot.

'Roger that copy'

'Forward and right thirty, forward and right fifteen.' he said lowering the basket into the water. 'Basket is in the water.'

She swam, dragging the woman towards the basket.

'Swimmer and survivor are at the basket.' Carl informed them.

'Put your head in fist' she told the woman but as she was about to, the man jumped onto the rescuers back pulling her under water making a grab for the basket. Screaming that he need to get out. 'Let go! Your drowning her' she said as he grabbed onto the metal cabal, but he wouldn't move, in the end she punched him hard in the noise to stop him from grabbing on.

'Wow, swimmer just pooped him in the face.' Carl informed them from above.

While he was calm, she place the man into the life basket. 'Okay, she's putting the man in the basket, the man is in the basket, taking the load' as the basket slowly started to rise towards the helicopter. As it rose into the air an extra large wave covered the two people still in the water.

'Whoa, big wave.'

As the rescue swimmer surfaced she glanced around, the woman had vanished.

As soon as the basket reached the helicopter Carl grabbed onto the man. 'Get out! Get out!' he said forcefully removing him from the basket. 'What's wrong with you?! Sit there and shut up'

The woman was still no were to be seen so she dived under the water, it was strangle quite, but in a moment she could see the out line of a body floating down wards, she quickly swam towards it, pulling her up to the surface.

'Swimmer in sight'

Again she swam toward the hover helicopter, this time taking hold of a hanging cable and attaching it to the woman.

'Prepare to take to load.' Carl said as the rescue swimmer stuck her thumb up towards him. 'I have the ready – for pickup signal' and together they were launched into the air. 'Swimmer is approaching cabin door, survivor looks unconscious' as they reached the helicopter door, Carl pulled them both in. 'Swimmer inside the cabin door. Cabin door closing.' he said as he closed the helicopter door behind them. The rescue swimmer detached her self from the survivor who was unconscious. She took of her gloves and her head warmer, and undid the woman's jacket, as the guy sat in corner coughing blood out of his mouthing and feeling his apparently broken noise.

'I think you have just broke my nose he said.'

'And you may have killed you wife, sir.' Carl said look over at swimmer, as she started to give CPR.

'Twenty minutes to Kodiak' the pilot said into the radio

'Roger. She's giving her CPR, Comstate Kodiak this is Coast guard six zero nine six, we have two hypothermic survivors onboard ...'

The rescue swimmer, was giving CPR watched over by a worried looking husband and Carl, but she wasn't coming round.

'... We'll be there in twenty minutes, requesting to have and ambulance on when we land'

It had gone uncomfortable quite as the swimmer gave mouth to mouth. It was just looking as though she had lost her, when she suddenly, spat out a mouth of water.

'Whoa, there we go' said Carl smiling.

'Got her?' the pilot asked?

'Got her!' said Carl

The rescue swimmer helped the woman to sit up and she checked her pupils before looking over at Carl who was laughing, as the man took his wife into his arms, Andrea knelt back against the helicopter window breathing.

'Attaway, baby' Carl's said happily.

'There's dead,' Andrea said looking at him, 'then there's dead' she said taking something from the ceiling and putting it in her mouth.

'I swear you get better with age.' he said.

Andrea didn't say anything but looked out of the window as they flew back to Kodiak

* * *

On Arrival at the Kodiak base on the Scottish coast, they were welcomed with a waiting ambulance and also a welcoming committee, as the survivors were taking into the ambulance the woman was shouting and screaming at her husband, refusing to let him go with her, as Carl and Andrea made there way towards the base, and there boss, Captain William Hadley, Commanding officer and Lieutenant Stephen's. As they reached there commanding officers they siluetěd, gaining one in return. Andrea made to walk past the captain

'Had to hi him hu? He said looking over at the survivors.

'Yeah.' she said also looking. 'Seems like its always the big ones that crack.'

Together they all headed inside.

'Crew said she went under, they thought you'd lost her.' he said

'Lucky guess.' she said, there was a pause.

'Luck, my ass.' he said looking at her grinning causing them all the grin.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Andrea: Back in those days i was living with my parents on the outskirts of Dalkieth, it was quite remote, in the middle of the country side and not to far away from the base ... **_

Andrea drove along a bumpy country road, towards a house, surround by fields and trees. As she pulled up in front a blue jeep, she got out. Walking up the steps onto the patio, out in the garden she could see a small girl with long black hair, Andrea's hair playing with a brown and white fury dog that was twice the size of her. Andrea smiled at her sister as she opened the front door.

_**Andrea: The one down side to my occupation was that my mother didn't approve. She didn't like the idea of her oldest daughter, going out into the bearing sea and for a long time it caused problems between my parents. **_

Andrea walked into the kitchen after her shower, dressed in a robe. Her mother sat at the table and her brother stood behind her, he looked up when he saw her enter.

'Hey sis, you were out early.' he said as her mother looked up.

'Yeah i was on call' she said going the the cupboard door and pulling out a cup.

'More drowning victims in distress.' Louise said looking over at her daughter, there was a small hint of bitterness in her voice. James looked from his mother to his sister and back again.

'I'm just going to see what dad's up to.' he said and with that made a quick exit, knowing what was coming.

'Actually yes, father and daughter out in a yacht, got caught up in the tide.'' she said pouring coffee into her cup. She then saw Louise shake her head. 'What!? She asked but new what was coming.

'When are you going to stop doing this?' she said looking at her.

'Doing what?' but Andrea already new what was coming.

'Putting your self in danger'

'It's my job to be in danger.'

'Andrea you are going to get yourself killed!' she shouted

'Yes and if i do it will be saving someone's life, mum its my job.' she yelled back. The pair of them looked at each other in silence which was then broken by the sound of the phone ringing, which never of them answered.

'That's the life i choice.' she said, willing her mother to understand. The phone stopped ringing and clicked onto the answer phone.

'_Hiya! You've reached the Dunbar residents, please leave a message.' Michael's_ voice said into the room.

'Why can't you just be proud of me?' she asked sitting down next to her. BEEP

'_Senior Chief, please report to base_.' BEEP

Just don't ask me to watch my daughter walk to her death, please don't ask that of me.' she put her hands onto of Andrea's, the pair looked at each other, just as Andrea's pager started to beep. Louise let out a sigh 'You'd should answer that' she said before walking out of the kitchen.

* * *

'She still doesn't approve.' Andrea told Carl as they walked towards the helicopter, 'And she'll probably never talk to me again.'

'Then change, man how many times have we had this conversation.' he said as the pair walked out of the base and towards the helicopter. 'The only way for you to save it, is to give this up and fly a desk.' Andrea suddenly stopped and looked at him. 'Exactly' he said pointing at her, as he had known Andrea long enough to now she would never give it up. 'Look at it from her point of view, your her eldest daughter and every time you leave the house she's probably wondering will she ever see you again, she's a parent, there surpassed to worry.' there was a pause 'Maybe we can get a hobby, both of us, something like fishing.'

'Fishing?' She said rasing her eyebrows. 'Guys like us don't fish Carl.'

'It'll work out it always dose.' he said chucking his stuff into the helicopter, Andrea placed one foot inside, when Carl stuck his head out. 'Hey let me ask you something seriously, do you thing you no if i asked her out she might approve'

There was a pause before he laughed and Andrea chucked her kit at him 'Get in there.'


	5. Chapter 5

It was when the weather was like this that she didn't like the job so much, in pouring down rain, and winds that would be similar to a category three storm, it was ruff. They were flying over the Atlantic in pitch blackness when the helicopter gave a sudden jilt Andrea grabbed onto the ceiling and an alarm started to go of. She looked at Bill in the pilot seat then at Carl next to her.

'We have a tail rotor de – ice caution light' the second pilot said.

'Any secondariness?' Bill asked.

'No, circuit breakers are in, so it definitely has failed, but were not building up any ice.'

'How's the fuel.' Bill said.

'Forty minutes to Bingo.'

'All right take the stick.' Bill said passing him the controls.

'Okay, I have the controls.'

'All right huddle time, Kids. We have a de – ice fail. Were low on fuel. The rule book says we cut our losses. ' Bill turned to look at Andrea. 'What do you think Andy?'

'Well, we go home, they die, Bill.' Andrea said placing a stick of gum in her mouth.

Back in Control room, Captain Hadley was standing by when Bill came in over the radio.

'Ops Cent Kodiak, Ops Cent Kodiak this is coast guard 6096. We have a tail rotor de – ice caution light, but we are pressing on.'

'6096, keep us updated on your status.'

Control Room:

'6096 ...'

'Get the maintenance chief on the line,' one control officers said. 'I want to know what he thinks about this.'

As they continued to fly to there destination the winds were pushing against the helicopter.

'The computer's saying the winds 60 to 85 knots.' the second polite said 'I'm turning you bear alt off, your on you own with altitude hold.'

'Roger' Bill confirmed.

Just then Carl spotted something out of his window.

'Lower! Lower! Right side, debris in water. Request to open cabin door.' he called.

'Roger. Open door.'

Andrea came over as Carl open the cabin door, they were nearly blown out the over end of the helicopter, as winds the strength of a hurricane, came soaring into the helicopter

' Koiak Ops, 6096 is on scene.' the pilot informed head controls. 'We have heavy debris in the water. Commencing cover search.' as they turned on the helicopter spot light they shone it over the surface.

As they flew over the area they dropped flare light's into the water which lite up the nights sky. Their was debris in the water and what looked like the remains of a cargo ship. The light's shone over five human figures floating in the water.

'Mark and note position.' the pilot said.

Andrea and Carl looked out of the Cabin door.

'I'm going in.' Andrea said taking of her radio and helmet.

'Their dead, Andy, Andrea they're dead!' Carl shouted at her.

'We don't no that' she said. As she got ready, the helicopter started to circle the area keeping the light on the people.

'There's six PIW's all tied together. No signs of life.'

In the control room, Captain Hadley was standing over the control woman, both looking at the screen, they could see the people in the water, from the camera on the helicopter.

'I think we may be too late.' she said.

'Not are call.' Captain Hadley said. 'They're on – scene they'll make the assessment.'

Andrea kneeled over and placed her radio back on.

'Requesting to get wet, sir.' she said looking out of the cabin door.

'I ain't sending you fishing for bodies, not in this.' Bill told her.

'Well how about father and sons?' she asked. Then suddenly one of the survivors held up a flare gun.

'Flare! Flare! We got a live one here. We got a live on!.' Carl shouted. Bill turned to Andrea

'You got five minutes, then we're hauling your ass back up.'

' Kodak Ops, this is coast guard 6096. we got people in the water and we are deploying our swimmer. '

'6096, Kodak Ops, copy.'

'One's holding the flare. I see no other movement.' the pilot said.

'Roger that.'

'Swimmer's ready to deploy' Carl said.

'Check Swimmer.' Bill shouted.

'Roger, checking swimmer.' Carl called as he checked over Andrea's life equipment. Andrea took out her chewing gum and stuck it on the door frame of the helicopter. 'Swimmer's dressed out. Checklist is complete.' Bill turned to Andrea

'Five minutes!'

Andrea turned away from Bill and looked on ready to jump. As she jumped she put an arm on her chest and on her snorkel and did a seat drop out of the helicopter.

'Swimmer away.' Carl shouted.

As she hit the water, her face suddenly became frozen as the ice cold water hit her. As she rose to the surface she stuck and arm in the air.

'Swimmer's Okay.' Carl said. 'Clear to move back and left 30,

'Clear back and left.'

Andrea broke threw the waves as she made her way to wards the survivor, with difficult as they were strongly pushing her in all directions, she managed to make her way to the people. They were all joined together with a piece of rope.

'How we looking on fuel there?' Bill asked

'Two minutes to Bingo.'

As Andrea reached the survivor, she checked the others, but they were already dead.

'I'm a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, here to help you son, your going to be, I'm going to get you in that helicopter.' she pulled out a knife and cut him free from the others. She held up her arm.

'I have the ready – for – pick up signal.' Carl said

'Roger'

Andrea started to swim with the young lad out towards the helicopter.

'Basket is going out the cabin door.' Carl informed.

Fighting the waves she swam closer to the helicopter.

'Bingo. We're at Bingo. We gotta go.' the Pilot informed them.

'Easy back, basket is in the water.' Carl said as the recuse basket hit the water.

'We're out of time, we gotta go, Carl!.' Bill shouted.

'Hold, potion' Carl said as the basket cable wobbled. She's putting survivor in the basket.' As Andrea placed the survivor into the rescue basket.

'You rad alt's going crazy.' the pilot said. They needed to leave now.

'Yeah, yeah I know I'm all over the place.' Bill said as he tried to control the stick.

The waves were getting stronger and higher, they were out of time and needed to leave now, Andrea had managed to get the survivor in the basket.

'Come on Carl we gotta go now!!' Bill shouted.

'I don't have the ready – for – pick up signal yet.' he said. As Andrea looked up, she watched in horror. As a wave carrying debris rose to the height of the helicopter's back propeller. Andrea could see what was going to happen but the others couldn't.

'Whoa! Carl! Behind you!' she shouted pointing at the back of the helicopter but it was to late, Carl looked at the debris as it got jammed into the back propeller.

'Holy Shit!' he shouted as the helicopter turned in mid air.

'We lost are tail rotor!' the Pilot shouted as he and Bill tried desperately to control the air craft. With alarms going of everywhere.

It started spinning in the air, Andrea could see Carl at the Cabin door. Trying to hold on.

'Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!'

It was spinning closer to the water.

'Coast guard 6096 is going down!' Bill shouted into the radio. 'Mayday! Mayday! 6096 is going in.' it span a final time before hitting the ocean surface, with and exploding crash. As the helicopter exploded it lite up the stormy night sky. And Andrea watched in horror as a mixture of smoke, fire, water and bits of helicopter went flying into every direction. Andrea looked at the survivor still lying in the basket, but didn't have time to do anything, as the basket, like the helicopter got pulled under the water, with the survivor still inside. Andrea tried to swim after it but it was to fast. It was then she spotted Carl breaking the surface gasping for breath. She rushed to him.

'Carl, I'm here.' she said as she reached him. He had burns on one side of his face, and was shivering, he wasn't prepared for the water like Andrea was 'Carl' she grabbed onto him helping him stay a float. 'Hold on Carl, Hold on. They'll be coming for us.' trying to stay positive. 'I got you, you okay now. You okay, I'm here Carl.' were okay, I'm here I got you.'

'You think they're coming?' he managed to say threw the bitter coldness, and trying to stay a float.

'Oh, yeah they're coming. She said, she had to stay positive, it was there only hope.

Back in the control room, Captain Hadley was pacing.

'I want a C – 130 over that crash site now.' he said, 'Lieutenant Krauss start the mishap checklist.' he said pointing to a man on his left.

'Aye Captain'

'Captain, I've got an EPRIB hit on Dunbar's survivor suite.' one of the control guys said turning to face his captain. y.

'Launch ready helos. Swimmer provide.' Hadley instructed.

'We have a C – 130 coming of a case in Lerwick it's already low on fuel.' the control woman said looking at Hadley.

'I don't care have them cut and engine.' he said, 'I want her to now she's not alone out there.'

The helicopter debris was still burning rocking side to side in the waves, Andrea was holding Carl a float when she heard something.

'Listen, Listen.' she said looking up into the sky. 'You hear that.' they turned, as Andrea pointed into the sky as a C – 130 plane came flying over them, Andrea could just make out the UKCG on the aircraft and new it was one of them. As it flew over it dropped flares and then two men pushed a lift raft out of the back the, hit the sea and opened out. With a struggle Andrea managed to swim towards it pulling Carl as she. Went.

'Hold on Carl, Here we go, Carl, I got you.' Together they both climbed inside.

* * *

'What's ETA on the back up helo?' Hedley asked

'Helo's on route to cold bay, they should be on scene, three maybe four hours.'

'Make it three.' he said.

* * *

Andrea pulled of her snorkel, and took a deep breath as Carl started to choke, he touched his face and and that when he saw the blood.

'Jesus, how much more of that stuff do you think i got in me?' he said. Andrea looked at him then painfully grabbed his arm.

'Feel that!' she said as Carl whimpered. 'Feel that!' as she squeezed him again.

'Yes' he whimpered

'That means your alive. I'm not gonna let go. Don't you!'

'I'm not gonna. I'm not gonna.' Carl whimpered, he was in a lot of pain, plus starting the get hypothermia.

It seemed like hours they floated in the bearing sea. The cold was getting to Andrea who had now been in the icy ocean for more then seventeen hours. Carl had become quite and icy cold. They huddled together trying to keep warm. The next thing she new, she had opened her eyes, she must have blacked out. It was day light, the rain had gone but the was a bitter wind. They were still floating in the bearing sea, the bodies of the cargo ship were tangled around there life raft. Andrea was so cold she couldn't move, it was even hard opening her eyes, to the sound of propellers above her. She managed to open her eyes and made out the outline of a helicopter, and could here someone splash into the water.

* * *

The next thing she could remember was hearing voices. She slowly opened her eyes half way, and looked around and found her self in hospital. She could see the outline of her father and Captain Hedley over by a doctor looking at some ex rays and could half make out what the doctor was saying.

'... serious fractures, like in a C – spine which could cause paralysis. Mostly what we see is old fractures in the arms and mainly in the leg, but nothing acute. Nothing new with this injury, luckily, we just hope the kidneys kick in ...'

She looked to the left and could see her mother sitting in a chair next to her, with her older brother with his hands on her shoulders. And her brother Chris standing on her right. You could tell her mother had been crying, she sat there slowly shaking her head.

'... and start to help her resolve a lot of that fluid.' the doctor finished.

'Thank you very much.' Captain Hadley said to the doctor, as Louise stud up and walked to her husband the three of them left. James sat on the bed and looked at his sister, lying half conscious with tubes attached to her.

As she lay in hospital, the feeling of warmth slowly coming back to her, attached to tubes and heart monitors, their was only one thing she new, and cared about at that point in time, that the fact that her best friend was not lying in the bed next to her.


	6. Chapter 6

Honey sat with her hands over her mouth, the only nose that could be heard was that of the walking footsteps outside the locker room. She looked at Andrea not knowing what to say.

'_**I lost not only my crew, but my best friend that day, and no matter how i tried things just weren't the same after that.' **_

Three weeks later Andrea was discharged from hospital, and wanted to go straight back to work. Her mother was past her self at this point. Louise had screamed, cried and even plead with Andrea to give it up, but Andrea was like her father stubin. After everything she had lost she needed her job to keep her mind of everything.

As she walked into the base she could feel the eyes of the officers on her, and whispers, she shock them of and kept walking. She stopped when she got to the memorial board dedicated to those lost in the line of duty, and there, just added was three photographs, Steve, Bill and Carl. She stood and looked at them for a minuet before going inside.

'We've been friends a long time haven't we? I've always been good to you haven't I?' Captain Hadley, said looking down at Andrea who had found herself in his office, she was sitting in a chair looking at him. ' I didn't promote you to a desk, because your female like most of the team.'

'That's right.' she said calmly.

'All right so now I need you to listen to me.'

'OK.' There was a pause for a minuet

'There's and instructor opening at ''A'' school that ...' he started to say but Andrea interrupted him.

'No.' she said standing up. 'The answer is no.'

'You just said you'd listen. Sit down'

'I'm not interested, Captain.' she said looking at him.

'Well it is no longer a request Senior chief, sit down.' he said also standing up.

'Your serious?' but when he didn't reply she sat down.

'You have two choices, i can sign the papers today and you can live life as a civilian here in Dalkeith, if that's what you want. Or you can take that ''A'' school opening I'm offering you. ' Andrea let out a sigh. 'I've already spoken to the command down there. It'll be your class, you'll be in charge. You can take the time to work your way back into shape.'

'I am in shape.' she snapped

'God damn it, that's not what I'm talking about. Andrea all I'm asking is that you go down there for a few months, you work with the kids you recharge. Download that epic resume were its going to do some good. You can't always be the one in the water, Andy. You 'll now when your ready to come back.'

Andrea didn't say anything.

_**Andrea: So i had two choices, quite or train the next generation. Well there was no way i was quitting, so I headed for Glasgow and took up the job at ''A'' School ... **_

Andrea pulled up on the ''A'' school campus, as she got out of her car she could see the ASTC bus parked int eh grounds which meant the candidates had arrived. She was shown to her accommodation, then headed for the assemble hall.

''Out of the 39,000 men and woman who make up the United Kingdom Coast Guard, there are only 280 rescue swimmers. This is because we are the Coast Guard's elite. We are the best of the best.'' Andrea walked into the hall to finds the candidates all sitting facing the front were Captain Frank Larson , Commanding Officer was giving them a speech, she came in and stood at the back of the hall with some of the over officers. While he was giving them his speech, one of the young Airman glanced over at a place on the wall and saw a plaque, saying ASTC Water records, underneath was a list of events, the time it was done in and the officers name. And in ever event it said the name, Dunbar. 'When storms shut down entire ports we go out, when Hurricanes ground the United States Navy, we go out. And when the holy Lord himself reaches down from heaven and destroys his good work with winds that rip houses of the ground, we go out. And the attrition rate at this school is well over 50. So if by some miracle you actually have what it takes to become one of us, then you get to live a life of meagre pay with the distinct possibility of dying slow, cold and alone somewhere in the vast sea. However you also get the chance to save life's. And there is no greater calling in the world then that. So, ladies and gentlemen, welcome. Welcome to ''A'' school. Are there any questions?'' he asked.

There was silence for a few minuets, when the young man at the front stud up.

''Captain, Airman Jacob Fischer.'' he stated his name. 'Just have one question. That guy who holds all them records,' he said point to the plaque on the wall. 'Is he still alive?'

'Why do you ask?'

'I just thought you ought to let him know, I'm about to knock his name of that board.' he said with a small grin causing some of the others to smirk

'Really? Why don't you let her know yourself? She's standing right behind you at the back of the room.' he said as a mummer of whispering and giggles broke out, as everyone turned including Jake who had gone a bit red to look at Andrea, who could feel herself blush. 'Class, turn around and greet Senior Chief Andrea Dunbar. Senior Chief Dunbar will be your instructor for the next 18 weeks. Senior Chief Dunbar is one of the most decorated rescue swimmers, in the history of the United Kingdom Coast Guard. Andrea, would you care to address the class?'' he asked looking at her.

'No, I think there's been enough talk for one day.' she said with a smile

'Chief Skinner, there all yours.' he said looking at the the man on Andrea's left.

'Attention on deck.' Chief Skinner shouted causing the cadets to all rise to attention.

'Carry on.' Frank said walking towards Andrea.

'Aye Captain.'

'PT Test begins at 0700 tomorrow. Class dismissed.' Skinner shouted 'You will file threw the front door. First row fist of all second row last. ' as the cadets began to leave, Frank reaches Andrea who shakes her hand. 'Frank.' Andrea greets. He then turns to watch the new cadets. 'When god rips houses of the ground?'' she asks with a grin.

'I was rolling.' he said laughing 'And i didn't mean to put you on the spot up there. And I was real sorry to here about your crew.' Andrea felt a frog in throat. 'Come on I'll show you around.'


	7. Chapter 7

''Mayday, mayday, mayday!'' a voice shouted 'This is Ballmariner! Ballmariner! We are on fire! We are on fire!'

A ship in the ocean begins to sink, when a puff of black smoke ejects from the sinking ship. A flare gun lights up the sky. Andrea try's to swim to the surface but is being pulled down wards.

Andrea suddenly jumped up in bed, her face covered in sweat breathing deeply. She looked over at her alarm that was beeping, seven o'clock. She climbed out of bed and walked over to the sink. She turned on the tape and poured herself a glass of water. She then looked over the seven medical bottles sitting next to the sink. After the accident the doctor had put her on medication, half for the injuries she had sustained, the other half for her minds rest. She took one tablet out of each bottle and chewed them in her mouth before swallowing them. She spat, the water into the sink, trying to ride the taste. She cupped a handful of water in her hands and covered her face trying to wake up. Outside she heard the sound of a whistle.

In the yard the cadets, where doing circuit training with Chief Skinner leading them with the help of three over officers. They stood in two lines doing prece ups.

'Lean and rest!' chief Skinner shouted. As all the cadets jumped into the press – up position. 'Pop Tall!' he shouted as they all stood, clapped there hands and shouted ''Ooorah!'

'What the hell was that!' the officers shouted at them. 'That was terrible, lets try that again.'

They all started doing press ups, some doing it properly others looking like a bridge.

'That was absolutely horrible!' Skinner shouted. ' Pop toe, to lower line and back go! Move your ass!' he shouted as they all began to run towards the trees on the other side of the yard. 'Get going!' it was then he noticed Andrea coming across the yard towards him. 'Bring them back.' he said to the officers, who began shouting at them. As Andrea came closer they stopped in two lines again. 'Lean and rest, Senior Chief on deck!' they all went down into the press – up position.

As Andrea reached Skinner, she held out her hand. As Skinner looked at her he gave her a piercing look. It was clear he didn't want Andrea there, taking over his class. He handed her a clip board with everyone's names. She then started to walk in between her students, all of who were panting. Skinner glanced at Chief Hall who was standing next to him.

'Pop tall,' Andrea said as the class jumped up clapping there hands and shouting ''Ooorah'' once more. 'I don't care who you are, where you are from or where you are going.' she said walking back to the front and turning to face them again. 'I care about one thing and one thing only that is the future victims that you will be asked to save, If I feel that you will fail them, I will fail you, understood?'

'Yes, Senior chief!' they all shouted.

Andrea looked down at her clip board and started to walk towards a young lad. 'Hodge. Where are you from Hodge?' she asked the lad.

'I'm from Birmingham, England, Senior Chief' he shouted.

'Hodge, is our triple repeat.' Skinner said coming up to her.

'You plan on making it this time threepeat?' she asked.

'I really hope to Senior Chief.'

'Yeah well hope, don't float Hodge, you better start to learn to swim against the current and not with it.' she said turning away from him.

'Aye, aye Senior Chief!'

She looked down at her board and started walking to wards Jacob Fisher.

'Fisch? Why are you here Fisch?' she asked him.

'I'm here to exceed your expectations Senior chief, I'm a rescue swimmer at heart, born bread and water feed, Ooorah!' he shouted. Andrea looked at him with no expression on her face.

'Why I bet you practiced that all morning.' she said sarcastically. She turned to walk away, when Skinner came up behind her.

'Mr Fischer is our High School swim Champ, he's had scholarships to every Ivy league.' Andrea stopped and looked at him.

'Oh I'm sorry I didn't realize he was so qualified.' she said looking at him then turning back to Jake. 'I mean you set records in a pool? That's amazing, I bet it was, what, eight feet deep in the deep end?' she said looking at Skinner, then back to Jake. 'what if your noise plug didn't work? What if another swimmer had cut into your lane?' she said causing another cadet to snigger, Andrea looked but didn't say anything. 'For the love of god you could have been killed.' she started pacing in front of them. 'Your schedule says that you will perform a PT test this morning. That will not be necessary. Water is where you have been called to serve. Water is were you'll be tested.'

* * *

There was a blow of a whistle, then the splashing of water as the whole class jumped fully clothed into the swimming pool.

'This will serve in place of your PT in – test, this is a go/ no – go exercise.' Andrea explained. 'You will tread water for one hour, you touch the bottom you fail, you touch the wall you fail, you fail and you go home.'

Just then Petty Officer Watson came up to her and whispered in her ear.

'Senior, this school operates on a two challenge rule. You can't throw them out on there first day.'

'If you cannot survive in a warm pool of water you have no business being here dose this class understand.' she said pacing the pool.

'Ooorah Senior Chief!'

'Oorah class 5506, now who here can tell me the rescue swimmers motto?' she asked.

''So others may live,'' Senior Chief!' Jake shouted.

'Wow, I feel safer already, are you willing to sacrifice your life so others may live, Goldfish?'

'Yes I am Senior Chief!' he said sarcastically.

'Well you will have earn that right. I want all of you to think about that. There is going to come a time, when you hit the point of exhaustion and you want to give up, question is will you?' she looked at Jake who was giving her a cheeky smile.

15 minuets past, 35 minuets past and the class staid a float, panting for breath. All the while Andrea kept her eyes on Jake.

'There are three letters that will set you free, DOR. Drop on Request'' Watson told them.

40 minuets past.

'Look at that, Waste of time.' Skinner said before walking of.

45 minuets, By this point the class were starting to suffer for exhaustion, one of the class mates, with a muscle posture was poetically having trouble, until it got to the point when her started to sink under the water patenting for breath, it wasn't just Andrea who noticed this the other class mates had too.

'Hey are you all right?' one of them asked, as he started panting madly as his body was dragging him under the water. Andrea started pacing again when she saw Skinner return with Captain Larson.

'Hey somebody help him out.'

Andrea stood and watched as the class began to shout as he was being dragged under, she saw him reach out for help and drag Jake under, who untangled himself, and swam away from him. Together the class helped him swim to the edge of the pool. He looked up at Andrea panting.

'Your dismissed.' she said plainly.

'But I cramped up!' he protested.

'Your gone.'

'Lets go, Lyons, out of the water hurry up.' One of the officer called. Skinner shock his head.

'First lesson in physics people, muscle dose not float.' she said watching him climb out of the pool. 'Petty Officer Watson, get them out of the pool.'

'Aye, aye, Senior Chief. Let's go people, out of the water. Hurry up!' he shouted. As the class swam the the edge of the pool, and began to get out. Jake was half way from getting out, when Andrea pushed him back into the pool, with her foot and nealed down to his level.

'I thought you said you were willing to sacrifice your life for another?'

'I am Senior Chief.' he panted.

'Then why didn't you save your team mate when he reached out for you?'

'I wasn't aware we were working as a team Senior Chief.' Andrea nodded.

'That's the only way we work swim champ.' she said before standing up and walking away. Jake watched her for a second.

'Aye, aye Senior Chief.' he said sarcastically climbing out of the pool, so she could here.


	8. Chapter 8

She knocked on the door.

'Andrea.' Frank said, 'Come in.' Andrea walked in to Captain Larson's office, to find Chief Skinner, Chief Watson and five over officers in the office. 'You work fast, Lyons, he was one of our top candidates.'

'Sometimes you've got to shot a hostage' she said, looking at each of them.

'Look, we all no that your a legend and all.' Skinner said with a sarcastic smile on his face stepping towards her. 'But our program has been proven to work.'

'There's a gap between training and what really happens out there, Cujo.'

'Oh really?'

'That's right. My intention is to narrow that gap, now if anyone has a problem with that idea I'd like to here about it?' she said looking at them who didn't say anything.

'Is this how its gonna be sir?' Skinner looked at Frank. There was a pause.

'Yes it is.' Skinner looked at Andrea, it was clear that he didn't like her, the fact that she had come in and taken over his training school was bad enough, but the fact that he was being told what to do by a female that was younger then him, seemed to really tick him of.

'Permission to be dismissed sir?'

'Granted.' and with that Skinner walked out.

* * *

'Let's go! Let's go! Keep it together!' Officer Watson shouted as the class entered the pool in two lines caring life equipment and lined up on the edge of the pool. 'You've got three minuets to get this gear on all of it!set go!' he shouted as they jumped into the water and placed on there gear.

Over the next two weeks they started there training, from doing press ups every day to, swimming lengths. To jumping into the pool from a tall height. Each day it became tufter and harder and bye the end of the second week Andrea had chucked out half the class, each night she would site in her officer with each cadet's application folder in front of her. But there was something about Jake's that kept getting to her. By the fourteenth day everyone was in agernoy.

'Can you die from chlorine poising?' one of the guys asked. The lads were sitting in there dormitory, everyone placing ice packs on there ankles or rubbing cream into there legs.

'I can't feel my legs,' Hodge said. 'I'm serious.' it was then that Jake walked in fit as a fiddle.

'Well I don't no about you guys but I feel good.' Jake said getting up onto his bunk.

'This Dunbar lass, she operating on some whole different cylinder.' officer Kenneth Weatherby said as he massaged his leg, 'What is it two weeks and she's failed half the class already.'

'She's a legend.' Hodge said. 'They say she's got something like two hundred saves.'

'I heard it was three.'

'Who cares what her number is,' Jake said. 'If she's such a stud what is she doing here.'

'Eh up guys how's it going.' One of the lads said entering the dormitory and coming up to them and going into his locker.

'Hey Z, were you going?'

'Oh my sisters best friend is getting married and there having a big reception downtown, I promised her I'd go.' he said, it was then that Jake looked up.

'Wait you said wedding reception?' he said with interest in his voice.

* * *

Jake and his fellow class mates weren't the only ones heading down town, on the out side the bass, Andrea crossed the street she headed for a little bar that she was no stranger to, Maggie's Hanger.

It was quite full when she went in, which was nothing new. Entering the bar she saw Maggie with the band sing as usual. She was no stranger to this place.

'Hey Senior Chief.' one of the guys called as she entered. She walked up to him and saw Petty officer Hall.

'Hey Andrea, she looking hot to night.' that was a matter of upion she thought. It was then Maggie spotted her, she pointed at Andrea still singer, and Andrea pointed back smiling.

'This place has not changed.' she said as she turned towards the bar. Suddenly the band stopped at Maggie spoke.

'Form Dalkieth, Scottland.' she said smiling at Andrea.

'Don't' Andrea said smiling, knowing Maggie long enough to no what was coming.

'Senior Chief Andrea Dunbar is in the house ...' she said as the room filled with applause and Andrea went red. '... big as day and still alive, I must owe somebody money.' she said handing the microphone to somebody and stepping down to Andrea.

'Your terrible.' Andrea said as she gave Maggie a huge.

'Oh Andy.' she said hugging her back. 'I heard a rumor you were gonna be teaching in town.' she said as the pair headed for the bar. 'If that ain't the karmic wheel spinning i don't now what is.' the stat at the bar, and Maggie took a bottle pouring it into glass. 'Well. The prodigal's return. Hows your parents?'

'They decided to stay home.' Andrea lied taking a sip of liquid. 'Work stuff' Maggie laughed.

'Yeah. Winter in Dalkieth. Let me see. Winter in Glasgow.' she said comparing the two.

'All right stop, stop.'

''They decide to stay home'' She said shaking her head. 'Well it's a good thing we got a full bottle and a half the night.'

'Yes we do.' as they touched there glasses.

* * *

At the wedding reception, the guys were getting into the swing of things.

'OK, to those who have fallen, to those who have survived phase one.' Jake said rasing his beer bottle as the others all joined him. As they all drank, Hogde noticed a girl looking at him. And so did Ken.

'Check it out, she's staring at you.' he said.

'That girl right there is not staring at me.' Hogde said pointing a there causing the others to laugh.

'Did you just point a there?' Jake laughed. 'Did she see you point.'

'I don't now.' he said as the others laugh.

'All right, you gotta go and talk to her you gotta go and make a move.' Jake said

'I can't.'

'What' Officer Lindsey said.

'I just don't feel comfeterbal.' Hodge said.

'Your talking to me.' Lindsey said.

'Your telling me you want to jump out of helicopters for a living.' Jake said. 'But your affraind to talk to a girl.

'That's exactly what I was telling you.'

'All right look, I'm gonna help you out here.' Jake said. 'I show you how its done, pick out eh hottest girl here. I'll take her home.' all the others starting laughing as though it couldn't be done.

'No, how about I will find the girl.' Lindsey said. The others agreed so she looked around the room. 'OK, at the bar eh two o'clock.' all the others looked at the bar and saw a brown haired young woman sitting at the bar saying goodbye as her friends left.

'Yes.' Ken said. Nodding

'That's a good one.' Hodge said

'There is no way in hell she is going to talk to you.' Ken said.

'That one?' Jake said looking a little worried.

'That one Lindsey said smiling.'

'Hundred bucks says she shuts you down.' Ken said. 'In less then a minuet.' he said placing to 50's on the table.

'That looks like a bet to me, Jake.' Hodge said, Lindsey agreed.

'All right.' he said standing up. 'All right, a hundred bucks says i close it in less then a minuet.' he said also place to 50's on the table.

'Oh absolutely.' Ken said, Jake took a final drink

'Tick – tock, tick – tock, tick – tock' the others teased.

'Clock starts when i start talking to her.' he said heading over to her.

'This is gonna be embarrassing.' the others said.

'Do you reckon he'll do it?'

As Jake approached her he looked up at the others.

'Evening ma'am. Can I buy you a drink?' he asked there was a pause. In which she didn't look at him.

'I don't think so.' she said simply. Jake nealed towards her ear.

'You don't no what your missing.' he whispered, before she slowly turned to look at him.

'You sure you wanna go with that one? That's, like your top – of – the – line. A game material?' Jake didn't say anything. 'You say the way I see it, you got two choices here: walk away with me, or walk out of here with me and split the cash.' Jake tried to stay cool.

'Cash? Hu what cash?' he lied.

'Come on you bet your friends you could pick me up.' she looked over at eh the others table. Who were all watching.

'You see that makes me nervous.' Ken said to Lindsey.

'She's shutting him down.'

'How much time you got left?' she asked Jake's

'About twenty seconds' he said smiling knowing he was beat,

'Shall we.' she said standing up. And together he lead her to the door.

'Oh my gosh' Lindsey said in amazement.

'It looks like there leaving the bar together.' Hodge said as Ken checked his watch convinced it was broke.

'No way! You have got to be kidding me, how did he do that?'

'I'm impressed' Lindsey said.

Outside he was leading her or rather she was leading him to her car.

'There's a bar outside you base called Maggie's you know it?' she said.

'Yeah.'

'Good, meet me there next Friday around eight?' she said

'You got a name' he asked as they reached her car.

'Yeah, don't for get my money' she said getting inside and closing the door.

'You got a middle name? He said as she started to drive away. 'You do realize I can't go back in there.' he said standing there alone like a dork, as she drove away.


	9. Chapter 9

A danger alarm sounds, the doors fly open and the light goes on.

'This is the sound of death knocking.' Captain Larson shouted threw a microphone, as he, followed by Officer's Skinner, Watson and four others burst into the male dormitory. 'SAR alarms and sleep deprivation a part ...' but he stopped in mid sentence. 'Were the hell are they?' he asked as the room was empty.

* * *

While there commanding officers stood puzzled to the where about's of there cadets, class 5506 were in the middle of being tough about hypothermia, in and unusual way. Andrea picked up a spade and started picking up ice from a large bucket and putting it into a pool of icy cold water, in which the cadets all stood in shorts and t – shirt and shivering. After chucking in a few more lumps of Ice, Andrea also jumped in and immediately began to shiver.

'The first stages of hypothermia are the most critical.' she said threw chattering teeth. 'Why? Because you still have the ability to think. Say it.'

'You still have the ability to think.' the class said shivering.

'The decisions you make during this stage, are going determine whether you live or die.' she then looked over at Jake who was on the outside of the pool, practicing giving CPR to a rubber dummy, only he was shivering so much he couldn't do it. 'Id there a reason your not breathing, Goldfish?' she said.

'Hu'

'Is there a reason why your not breathing.'

'I don't now – w anyone, w -who can stay alive without breathing, for 15 minuets Senior Chief.' he chattered.

'Are you a cornier?' she said slowly walking towards the edge of the pool. 'Because pronouncing people dead is not part of our job description, what do we always say?' she asked the class.

'There's dead and then there's dead. ' the class said.

'We never stop Jake not from the Cabin to the tarmac. We never stop.' se said nealing up towards him.

'Aye, aye Senior Chief.'

'Understood?' she said turning to the class.

'Yes, Senior Chief.

'Okay, Jake, in the pool Hodge, your up, your with the dummy.' she said as Jake jumped back in he let out a large in take of breath as the coldness hit him and Hodge made his way over to the dummy.

'All right now three letters ...' just then Captain Larson and the the over officer's walled in and looked around. 'Three letters will get you people and cup of hot coffee and a blanket.' she looked at Jake. 'What do you say Goldfish?'

'I'm actually not that cold anyone Senior Chief.' he lied.

'Your not cold anymore, because blood is moving threw your outer extremities to your heart.' she said as Captain Larson and Skinner came up to the pool side followed by the over officers. 'That's why your arms wont work. You can plan on spending roughly about 60 percent of your career, in a highly hypothermic state.

'Senior Chief, may I have a word.' Frank asked.

As Andrea made her way towards the side of the pool she managed to some how pull herself out hobbling and shaking she went over to him. 'Sir?'

'Why wasn't I informed of this?' he asked. 'You no we do have classrooms, your assignment is to simply teach the stages of hypothermia.' he said as one of the officers put his hand into the pool and sharply pulled it back out.

'Sir, in about two and a half minuets they'll understand.' she said as the overs behind her smiled. 'Permission to carry on, sir?' she asked.

He looked at her for a minuet, 'Go ahead.'

The officers all smiled as Andrea hobbled back into the icy cold pool.

* * *

'This is an oxygen – deprivation anaerobic exercise.' Andrea told the class from the side of the pool watching, as each cadets in pairs swam across the bottom of the pool pushing a heavy concert brick. 'You and your partner will push your brick, along the bottom of the pool down and back, if you need air you may surface. One breath. Your partner must remain underwater until you return. Your brick can only move while both of you are touching it. If you both surface you both fail, this exercise is designed to teach you team work.'

Andrea watched as the class swam in pairs, each team member coming up for air at regular intervals. Jake was partnered with Doran, they had reached the part were the pool drops, Jake had surfaced for water, as he returned Doran couldn't hold his breath any longer and swam to the edge of the pool, Skinner rising beside him.

'I said one breath, Doran. Lets go!' he shouted, but Doran was to busy panting for breath.

'I can't.'

'Come on!'

'I can't.'

'You can't? Get your ass out of the pool! Lets go.' he shouted as the pair got out of the pool. Andrea watched Skinner, come down hard on Doran as she walked round the pool, 'Lean and rest!' just then she heard one of the officers come up to her from behind.

'Senior Chief, we've got a problem.' he said. 'Somebody is missing.' Andrea looked at him, then at the class all catching there breath at the other end of the pool. Then looked down in to pool. It was then that she spotted Jake, sitting on the bottom of the pool with his break still,waiting for Doran to come back.

'Jesus' Christ!' she said walking to edge of the pool, Skinner and the others behind her.

'That's gotta be a new record, Oorah.' Skinner said sarcastically smiling at Andrea. Who was not amused.

'I'm so sick of records.' she said more to her self then Skinner, 'Go get him.' she said at Skinner who jumped back in the pool, a couple of seconds later, re – surfacing with Jake. 'Do you think I'm impressed because you can hold your breath, Goldfish?' she said at Jake as Skinner got out of the water.

'I wouldn't venture to say what would impress you, Senior Chief.' he said. Andrea looked at him, then at Skinner who looked like he wanted to smile but didn't say anything.

'All right, get him out of the pool where done for the day.'

'Out of the pool, Fischer, lets move it.' Skinner ordered, as Jake climbed out and made his way over to the class.

'Come that's is out of the pool! Out of the pool!' the others instructed, Andrea could feel Skinners eyes on her.

'Records.' she said to her self.

* * *

That night the officers waited until after dark to show the class a flare gun, as it would show up better in the night. They all crowded round petty officer Watson, who lighted a flare, as the class stood around him observed.

'Never stare directly into the flame, people. It will impair your night vision, this is a Mark 58 flare, this is what it looks like.' he said as the class all raised there arms to protect there eyes. 'It will light up a 50 – foot swath of water ...' as the officer continued Andrea looked at the flame and started to feel sick, she turned away from he class and began to walk away fro the presentation. '... and can be detected by infrared from miles out ...' the one person to notice Andrea absence was Jake as he watched her move away. '... this is a demonstration model, the normal one can burn for 40 to 60 minuets.'

As Andrea reached the side of the building she place a hand on her stomach and a hand on the building.

_The sound of a flare gun, being light in the baring sea. Andrea turned to look at the pilot. _

_'Five minuets.' Bill shouted looking at her. _

_She could see six bodies floating the in the icy water, the flare lighting up the nights sky._

'The vessel your looking at right now people, is listing to the port side.' Andrea snapped back out of her day dream, and back to the class she was in the middle of teaching. They were all facing a large white board and watching footage of different vessels. 'Is listing to the port side, as a rescue swimmer, when you get to the door of the helicopter you need to look down and pay attention to what you are doing.' Officer Watson told them.

'Its very important that you understand your limitations. Limitations with out understanding are going to get you killed.' Andrea told them.

The class then watched a case in which a vessel was stuck in the bearing sea surrounded by pancake ice. They then watch as the water tips the boat on the side and the water and ice, sweeps the people on boarding into the bearing sea.

* * *

Learning to become a rescue Swimmer wasn't just about class work and physical fitness they were also given a tour of the base and told about all the equipment, on the third week they were given a tour on where the helicopters were kept they all listened as a pilot gave them a speech on the Standardization.

'Standardization, is one of the reasons we were so successful during Katrina,' he told them as they entered the base. 'We had crews fly over to the USA, but it didn't matter because we have all been trained the same way, i didn't know my pilot, I didn't know my copilot, I didn't no my flight mechanic but guess what it didn't matter.' he continued to tell them. And by Thursday, they were back to having aching limbs.

* * *

It was only when it Friday that they could properly relax, and this is where Jake found himself, sitting in Maggie's bar that evening. He sat at the bar looking at the photographs on the back wall of the different UKCG Officers. When he heard a female voice next to him.

'Hey Mags, can I have a beer?' Jake turned and saw the girl from the wedding.

'Well, Well so you are going to have a drink with me.' he said smiling.

'No , I'm having a drink near you, entirely different thing.' she said not looking at him but taking a drink form her bottle.

'Your a regular lighting rod, aren't you?' he said smiling. 'So what's your name?' he asked.

'Daisy Buchanan.' she said looking at him clearly lying, Jake obviously saw this

'Your lying Daisy Buchanan.' he said with a smile

'There is that possibility.' she teased.

'That was a sure fire line''

''So I take it you've read the Great Gatsby'' she then gave him a stern look. ''Where's my money?''

'It's not on me, but it is close, in a very safe place'' he then reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. 'Now I've drown a map with a complex set of clues.' he began, she looked at him with raised eyebrows 'each one more fiendishly clever then the last ...' she then pulled out of his left trouser left pocket a roll of tenners. Smiling she started to count them in front of him. 'That works to''

A couple of drinks down the line things started to relax and Daisy Buchanan also known as Emily Thomas was talking the mickey out of Jake's ''fiendishly clever'' drawing.

'This is just a picture of your pants'' she said holding up the drawing.

'Yeah but it's a bad drawing, which makes it so fiendishly clever,' he said in defense making her laugh. 'So how did Emily Thomas become a school teacher?'

'Well how dose Jake Fischer become a guy who wants to jump out of Helicopters?'

There was a pause then he said, 'I killed a couple of Guys and had to get out of Dodge.'

'Your lying.'

'There is that possibility''

'The truth?'

'My bull – riding career was going down the drain.' he said laughing.

'OK now that's better.' she said grinning.

'OK now you?'' he asked, it was then that she hesitated.

'I really should go.' she said suddenly, starting to get her things together.

'Go? What? No, your not going where just starting to have fun, look your insulting my drawing''

''NO you were insulting your drawing and to be fare it was a pretty lame drawing.''

'all right, well you can't go yet cos you owe me a dance first''

'No I don't think so'' she said putting on her coat.

'Well I'm gonna have to take that money back, cause it wouldn't feel right taking the mone ...' he went on before being interrupted.

'Look every 18 weeks a new bunch of you guys comes in here, all looking to score with the local talent, I live here, I work here.' she said picking up her bag before Jake stopped her.

'Good thing I'm just asking for a dance then.' he said standing up. Reluctantly she took his hand.

'OK, one dance'' she said taking off her coat and taking his hand and following him to the floor. 'No attachments, just casual.'''

'I'm a guy, I can do casual'' he said as they reached the floor, 'I'm the king of casual''

They took to the floor and started dancing

'There's just one thing though,' Jake said 'Your gonna have to stop undressing me with your eyes, cos there's no way your getting me into bed' he said with a cheeky grin.

_You really feel good with somebody_

_With being in love with somebody _


	10. Chapter 10

Jake woke up the next morning to the sound of Emily whispering in his ear.

'Hey, you, I've gotta get to work.' she said smiling at him. he then turned to the clock and Jumped out of bed.

'I'm Late! I fell asleep.' he said jumping out of bed and running around trying to get dressed. 'I feel asleep there gonna kill me.'

'There not going to kill you.' she laugh as he puled on his jeans

'This isn't like school, they don't hand out detentions in the military.' he said put his t – shirt over his head and grabbing his jacket as Emily laughed they both rushed for the door. 'You smell really good'' he said to her.

'Ha I smell like you.'

* * *

'He never came back?' Andrea asked Skinner as the pair walked into the empty boys dormitory. All the beds were left slept in and un made however as they approached Jake's bunk his remained the only bed still in shape. 

'Nope.' said Skinner as the pair walked up to his bunk. 'Wow, four years as Lead instructor and I never had one go missing.' he said clear enjoying the fact that he could accomplish something Andrea at this precise moment couldn't.

'All right take the others to the pool, I'll catch you up.'

'aye, aye Senior.' Skinner left Andrea nealing against Jake's bunk for a minute then she turned to his locker which was next to her and opened the door.

* * *

''Oooh ar oooh yeah!'' the Cadets chanted as they jogged round to base. 'Oooh ar oooh yeah!' 

'Oh god, there they are Stop. Stop the car.' Jake told Emily as they pulled up outside the base.

'Here?'

'Yes.'

'I'll call you.' Jake said giving her a quick kiss before running out of the car, he had started to make a run towards the dormitory when she called him back.

_''Oooh ar oooh yeah!''_

'Jake! Jake! Jake!' she said getting out of the car and running up to him with his jacket.

''_Airman __Fischer__ coming in late, yeah_'' They chanted jogging past them. _''Airman Fischer coming in late, yeah'' _

'Here.' she said handing his jacket to him as he ran of the Cadets jogged past Emily who gave them and embraced sort of solute.

_'Oooh ar oooh yeah!'' 'Oooh ar oooh yeah!''_

_'Must be nice to go out on a date, yeah'' _they continued _'Must be nice to go out on a date, yeah'' _

As Jake burst in to the dormitory he came to a sudden stop when he saw Andrea sitting on the bunk below his readying from a large album she had found in his locker.

'Oh, my goodness, look at this she said sarcastically not looking at him. 'Look at this. ''Freshman Leads Team to State Title.'' she said readying the newspaper cutting an looking up at him. 'That's you. Holy smokes, ''At only 16, Jake Fischer displays the traits of a seasoned athlete. One things for sure: the future looks bright for this young competitor'' hum. She said closing ht album. 'Guess they didn't no you were gonna flunk out of ''A'' school.' she said putting it back in the locker and giving Jake a stern look.

'You have a nice evening?' she asked not waiting for a reply as she walked towards the door. 'Get dressed.'

Once the dormitory door had shut behind her Jake walked to his locker and put his jacket in then slamming the door shut.

* * *

'I think we need another brick.' Andrea said. 

She was standing on the edge of the pool with Jake at her side, as a way of punishment he was being forced to watch the rest of his class tread water all holding up a crate full of large concrete bricks.

'Goldfish?' she said but Jake didn't move, 'Goldfish?'

Jake regretfully place another heavy concert brick on top of the create, his team gave a painful sigh as he let go.

'Thanks' to Mr Fischer's extracurricular activities, you have all now gone 36 hours without sleep.' Skinner said sitting in the life guards chair with a cup of tea in his hands.

'Blow it.' Andrea said to Jake who blew his whistle. 'Class leader you are done. Form it up in the shallow end.'

'Aye, aye Senior chief' a student called. 'Class 5506, form it up!' together the class started to swim up towards the pool, Jake went to get his life jacket to go and give them a hand, but Andrea stopped him.

'No. no, no. you're with me.' she said. Jake gulped wondering what else could be in store for him.

'I'm a rescue swimmer, yes, I am' Jake shouted in between mouthfuls of water as he started treading water in the pool holding a water container full of water over his head, and Andrea standing over him with a hose in his face, 'I'm here to pull your ass out of this jam. I jump from the helo and swing from from the cable.'

'All right knock it off.' Andrea said final putting the hose down. 'I am having a hard time figuring you out, Fischer. I mean you like seeing your picture in the paper? In it for the glory maybe a few chicks am i right? But when it comes down to it, you will choose yourself over them every time. Like you did on the first day in the pool, like you did yesterday by missing muster.'

'Won't happen again, Senior Chief!'

'Why don't you do us both a big favor and quit?'

Jake didn't say anything but continued to pour water over his head, 'I'm a rescue swimmer, yes, I am, I'm here to pull your ass out of this jam. I jump from the helo and swing from from the cable,' she stuck the hose on him again, 'I'm not Tarzan I'm just willing and able,' he said throwing the now empty water bottle across the pool. He looked at her for a second the shouted. 'Give me something else Senior Chief.'

and that something came in there next lesson, Andrea walked up to the pool side the next day to find the class doing knee rest by the side of the pool she was carrying a large record bord. At the top it had the heading 'AVIATION SURVIVAL TRANING CENTER'' or also known as ''A'' school it then had then had another heading saying 'WATER RECORDS' under that there was a list of eight different events the time it had been done in and the name of the person holding the record. And in each column where it said name said, Dunbar.

'Stop, Drop them Senior Chief on deck, pop tall.' officer Watson called and all the cadets stood up.

'Oorah! They all called and Jake glanced over and watched as Andrea pulled her own name of the last event, 'Oxygen Deprivation' and replaced it with Jake's, who grinned to himself.

'Morning class, today we were going to learn, about how to approach a drowning victim in high sea,' she said pacing in front of them. 'but i think there are some here, who aren't interested in that victim.' she said as she passed Jake. 'Fact, I think there is some in this class, who aren't interested in saving lives at all. I believe there are some, who are more interested in setting records,' she said looking at Jake. 'So today is record day.'

Jake smiled to himself, 'Easy.' he thought to himself.

_**There ain't no easy way no there ain't no easy way out  
There ain't no easy way no there ain't no easy way out**_

That morning Andrea sat in the life guards chair and watch as her class raced against each other.

'Ha, 5:28'' Skinner shouted as Jake came to the side of the pool.

'Put one on the borad for Goldfish.' Andrea called as on of the officers took her name of the '500 yard gear swim' and place Jake's in it's place.

Every now and again Andrea would walk around watching Jake and commenting, 'Wow, he's fast.' or 'He's good'

_**  
There ain't no easy way no there ain't no easy way out  
There ain't no easy way no there ain't no easy way out**_

After Jake successfully beat another one of Andrea's record Charlie, stuck out his hand to Jake. 'You got it, man! You got it, Fisch!'

'Another record. Calk it up, Chief!' Skinner called, Andrea who happened to have returned to sitting above, stood up cheering int eh most sarcastic way she could swinging her arms about.

'Wooooo! You are the man.' she shouted pointing at him. 'You people do not deserve to be in the same pool as Jake, he's deserting you.' she called making him a little embarrassed and Skinner to go her a wired look.

'Wow look at him go! He's fast!' she called 'He's fast! Come on you're all fighting for second. Just first loser. This is fun, we'll pass out trophies later.' by this point the other officers had started to look at her funny to. As Jake finished his final race Andrea who had been timing him came up to waters edge. 'Unbelievable' she said putting her hand out like Charlie's. 'Unbelievable' Jake looked at her as though she was stupid, after all she had been taking the mike out of him but took her had all the same.

_**There ain't no easy way no there ain't no easy way out  
**_

'Want me to pull these pansies out?'

_**There ain't no easy way no there ain't no easy way out

* * *

**_

'You do not want to here about my day.' Jake told Emily that night as they both sat in Maggie's Hanger.

'Yeah I do.'

'Aww, Man the Lass Dunbar. You know it doesn't matter what I do. It's just not good enough.' he told Emily

'Maybe she's trying to push you to be better. You know we teachers only do that to the one's we believe in.' she said

'No it's personal with me.' he said, ' She knows that I'm better then she was.' Maggie who had been cutting slices of lemon near by looked up with a stern look on her face. 'I mean today I broke all of her records, I mean i owned them all.'

'Not all of them.' Maggie said, 'There's one record you won't break,' she walked over and took a framed newspaper cutting on the back of the bar and showed them it. 'This is the Aegis.' she said showing them a newspaper cutting with two photo's one of a Ship and one of Andrea and the headline: ''THE AEGIS BURNS AND SINKS MEDICAL TRANSPORTER DISASTER Coast guard Swimmers Execute Dramatic Rescue''. 'Medical Ship caught on fire. It was a nightmare. People burning in there beds, and Andrea Dunbar got everyone of those people of there, except for this one person, a thirteen year old boy.' Emily looked at the photo with her mouth open. 'And right when the ship started to go down, she reaches down and grabs this person. She's hanging from the cable with this childs life in her hands, and the winch jams. It's twenty minutes to the base. The kids screaming. Andrea looks him dead in the eye, and you know what she said? She said, ''I won't let go.''

'What happened?' Emily asked.

'Dislocated her shoulder tore every tendon in her hand. But she didn't let go. Twenty minutes, just finger tips. You break that record, then you give me a call.' she said to Jake putting the photo back and getting back to work. Jake and Emily looked at each other.

'My day was OK.' Jake final said.

* * *

Back at the Base Andrea was alone in the pool swimming up and down as fast as she could timing her self.

**I need to step outside  
Another day  
Marks another way  
Marks a new reason to hide  
It's true when you slip  
You slide  
On the ground  
Been pushed down by this  
Primitive pride**

As she go to the edge she kept timing herself

**My voice a stifled symphony  
My veins pump  
Liquid lethargy**

But no matter how hard or fast she went, she couldn't beat Jake's record

_**I may be turning blue  
I may have some work to do  
But try me  
Tri -me

* * *

**_

Emily sat in her dressing gown on the floor of her bedroom cutting out colored paper fish, when Jake popped his head out from underneath the bed covers.

'So here's my thinking, we should go on a date.' he said suddenly.

'Well what do you call this?'

'No, no, no, I'm talking about, like, a real date.' he reached over and picked up a card board fish and started helping her to cut them out. 'I'm talking about, like a real date. You know, with, like a nice restaurant some nice clothes, I'll get you some flowers.'

'I thought we agreed to keep this casual.'

'Look, it's one steak, What is ... One steak is not gonna, forge some kind of a lasting emotional bond.

Emily looked at him pointing the tip of her scissors at him, 'I'm serious.'

'Yeah so am i''

'It's one dinner, what it going to hurt?'

'Well, if you order a stake, I'd imagine a cow would be involved.' she looked as he nealed towards the floor and noticed he had a tattoo of a number ''2'' on his right shoulder. 'What do you have an art Gallery over here? What is this ''2''?'

'Ah, so the guy behind me knows what place he's coming.' he grinned.

'What about this one?' she asked lifting his arm over her and pointing at an anchor shape on his arm.

'That is the initials of the guys on my high school relay team.' he said quietly, he had suddenly become very sheepish.

'A drunken celebration gone wrong?'

'Something like that,' he was then very quick to change the subject. 'So about this date.'

'God, it's just dinner right? No flowers, where we will discuss nothing emotional or important?' she said getting of the floor and climbing into bed with him.

'I am fully prepared, to do an hour on nothing but the, Glasgow Bears. And we can have completely meaningless sex immediacy afterwards.' Emily gave a very fake, sigh of shock.

'You think I'm going to sleep with you on our first date? Ha think again.' she then gave a laugh as he pulled the covers over them.

'Ah you just head butted me.' he laughed, 'I'm gonna teach you the breast stroke. It's pretty complicated, different then that of the butterfly.' he laughed.

* * *

Cheer to all u lovely reviewrs! Keep e' Coming xx 


	11. Chapter 11

It was past midnight the bar was empty and quite the only source of light was from the bar lights as Andrea sat at the bar as, Maggie made her a cup of tea.

'I guess I can't sleep.' she said, she looked, tired and both her head and arm was killing, there was swelling around her right shoulder.

'Well of course you can't,' she said coming over to her with a mug of tea, 'You mum won't talk to you, your best friend died, you sound like a dam country song, if you had a dog, he'd be run over by now.' Andrea gave a weak grin, hoping her dog would still be in one piece when she final returned home. 'So did you call your parents?'

'Nope.' Andrea said taking a mouth full of tea; the taste seemed to numb the pain.

'Well, you think you might ought to?' she said.

Andrea shook her head, swallowing her tea, 'I'm saving myself the grief.' she sighed and knelt back in her chair holding her shoulder rubbing it. 'May be I should have been a cop like my dad, or something else.'

Maggie looked at her, and smiled. 'Like hell Andy, you a bigamist, you've belong to the coast guard all along, Now give me that shoulder' she pulled up next her and placed the ice pack inside her jacket. 'Your probably swum out of socket, trying to prove your still 19, am I right?'

'When did we start getting old?' she asked, as the pain in her shoulder was replaced by cold.

'Hell, I've always been old, Andrea. You know what though I don't mind. I mean, if my muscles ache, its cause I've used them. It's hard for me to walk up them steps now, it's 'cause I walked up them every night to lay next to a guy who loved me.' she pointed to a photo of a UKCG man, on the wall behind the bar, Maggie's late husband. 'I've got a few wrinkles here and there, but I've laid under thousands of skies on sunny days, yeah, I look and I feel this way, cause I drank and I smoked, and I lived and I loved, and danced, sang, sweat, and screwed my way though a pretty dammed good life,' she said laughing. 'I you ask me, getting old isn't bad Andy, getting old that's earned.'

* * *

_She could see flames, she was being pushed around by the waves in a life raft. She searched in her pocket and pulled out a needle, she could feel Carl next to her, blood on his face and freezing he had started to shake uncontrollable._

_Andrea stabbed him with the needle, gave him mouth to mouth, but there's was nothing she could do. . . she couldn't do anything. _

_The cold was rushing to her, she could see the flames of the flares, Carl lying dead next to her, the noise ... _

Andrea sat bolt right up in bed, sweat all on her face, breathing deeply. She glanced at the clock, it was three in the morning. She knelt back, breathing, she was starting to get used to these nightmares now, but it didn't make the pain of it any easier.

* * *

There will come a time when you might have to decide who lives and die's out there.' Andrea told the class the next day. There were all sitting into the writing room. The class watching TV footage of ship wreaks and past rescues. 'It's a terrible responsibility but it, is one you will have to make as a rescue swimmer.' she paused for a second walking up and down the room, 'The bigger reality is, it's also something you're going to have to live with, as a human being.' For once Jake wasn't being a part or making any silly comments, in fact he looked rather upset, the whole class was in a stunned silence as they watched as the reality of their future jobs finally came to them and the responsibility they would have to face.

One Andrea was already too well known with.

'There will come a time, when you are going to have to say no, the most important person to keep alive is yourself. You'll be facing crews from five to twenty all saying '' Save me, Save me there looking for a miracle. How old are you Hodge?' she asked looking at him.

'Nineteen.' he said, not much younger then she.

'At nineteen years old you have to become that miracle, you have to find a way to be that miracle.' she said, as she told them she glanced at Jake and could of sown she saw him crying.

* * *

That afternoon's class, seem to be a lot quieter then usual, the impact of that morning's lesson had been quite powerful, the amount of pressure and responsibility had finally dawned on the whole class. They were at the pool that afternoon practicing the drop from the Helicopter.

'Looking right, looking center, looking left.' Hodge called, as it was his turn, he then jumped in the water from the lower divers board platform in a seat drop hitting the water, Skinner was waiting for him in the pool. As Hodge surfaced he started to swim to an instructor who was pretending to drown. 'You okay, sir? I'm a rescue swimmer I'm here to help you.' he said just as Skinner garbed his back and started tackling him.

It was part of the training as most victims are likely to panic and would grab on to you to keep afloat. The class watched and so did Andrea, something wasn't right Skinner was being rough, more rough then necessary. Hodge surfaced the water and stuck his hand up.

'Time Out.' Andrea shouts blowing the whistle.

'Panic's every time, Senior.' Skinner said.

Andrea said pointing at the edge of the pool. Both Charlie and Skinner started to swim towards her, but she held up and arm to stop Skinner who just treed water, giving her a disapproving look.

'The only difference between you and the victim is the attitude in which you enter the water. You've gotta figure out how to stay calm in the face of chaos. Do you understand?' she said, as he nodded. 'That's your first challenge Charlie, one more and you're out.' she felt horrible, but it was for his and other people's safety. 'Come out.'

'Aye, aye, Senior Chief.

* * *

'You don't have to take her shit, Hodge,' Jake told him a little while later in the locker room.

'What do you know?' he said. 'It's so easy for you, Fischer.'

'Is that right?'

'Yeah.'

'You know, you don't get it.' Jake said and for some reason he was smiling. 'You don't realize that you're tougher than me.'

'And how is that?'

'Well if I get kicked out, I'm not coming back, I'm certainly not coming back twice, I mean, you got guts, man.'

'Stupidity.' Hodge said sadly

'How long have you been here?' Jake asked.

'Altogether ... I don't know, 10 weeks first time, six's weeks two days second time ...'

'Six weeks this time.' Jake said, 'So basically, you've been here longer than anybody who's graduated this place, but you don't think you can make it. Lighten up on yourself man.' he walked over to the mirror and checked his hair. 'Come on let's go, let's get a beer.'

'Hey wait don't you have a date with, that girl from the wedding.' Charlie asked.

'Yeah, but that's not till nine, we've got time, get dressed.' Jake told him.' Let's go.'

* * *

By the time they had got to their third bar they had, had quite a bit to drink at this point and Jake had started to ramble about swimming,

'... When you go under ' he said as they walked out of the bar to head to the next one, '... when your pulling on your stroke, move your hand ...'

'Wait, wait where we going?' Charlie asked and Jake pointed to the next bar. 'Jake that's a squid bar, I mean there's Navy guys everywhere.'

'I don't give a shit, a beer's a beer,' he said waddling towards the bar with Charlie behind him looking a little nervous. 'When your pulling threw the water.' he continued. 'You've gotta pull yourself through, like you know ...'

'So I'll go fast?' he asked.

'No you wanna lie on your side, and pull it like that.' Jake said as they walked in, they walked in to a bar full of Navy officers and walked up to the bar and order two more beers; Charlie was pretty out of it by now and was trying to impress the barmaid.

'We got to ''A'' school which is the most difficult school in the military. The attrition rate's like ... what is it, 50%?' he asked Jake who, was busy looking at all the Navy officers.

'It's over 50%'

'That's right, were still here, 'cause we are the best of the best.' it was then the barmaid had noticed that a Navy captain had spotted Jake and Charlie, 'When storms shut down ports, you know who goes out? We do, When Hurricane's, Hurricane's on the other side of the world, ground the US Navy , like theses little guys over here, guess who goes out? Us.'

'Look honey, you'd better keep it down in here okay.' she told him as the Navy guys were getting closer.

'Okay, honey, she called me honey.' he said to Jake looking happy. 'Okay honey, but when God himself reaches down from heaven ... what does he do Jake?'

'Rips house out of the foundation,' he said smiling at Charlie's state.

'When god himself rips house off the foundation, we go out! Because we are rescue swimmers and that is are job and that's what we do.'

'You might want to recheck your compass.' a voice said from behind them. 'This ain't no puddle pirate bar.' they turned to see four Navy guys standing behind them, Charlie swallowed loudly, said nothing for a moment then stud up.

'No problem, because we were just leaving anyway.'

'Sit down Hodge,' Jake said casually. 'Finish your drink.'

'Yea sit down Hodge, ' the Navy guy pushed Charlie in his seat and picked up his beer. And then poured it all over Jake's head. 'Finished now' he said smiling.

'Must be happy hour,' Jake said as beer dripped from his hair. He then elbowed the guy in the stomach and punched him in the face. Causing a near riot of punches, kicks and broken glass. The barmaid went wild and jumped over the bar with a baseball bat. They next thing that Jake could remember was being escorted out of the bar by the police.

* * *

'Everyone in this place is retired Navy!' Jake called, as a police man walked past his cell. 'Hey when do I get my phone call? I know I get a phone call, when do I get my phone call?!' but the guard just walked past. Jake sat down next to Hodge, with two black eyes and a blooded lip. He glanced at his watch; it was twenty minutes to eleven.

'She's never going to talk to me again.' Jake said. He was now an hour and forty – five minutes late for his date with Emily, who would now be sitting in the restaurant probably feeling humiliated.

'You know they're going to kick us out for this, right?' Charlie said, he too had two black eyes and a bleeding noise and a bruise on his right cheek.

'Yep,' Jake said simply, 'At least they can't say that we didn't quit.' he said as a bright side.

'I was never going to make it, anyway. Skinner's right. I panic every time.' He said truthfully.

'Man screw Skinner,' Jake said he suddenly put his arms round Charlie's neck. 'I'm Skinner break my hold.'

'Hey, what are you doing man? Come on Fischer get of me.'

'Clock's ticking, break it.' Jake said edging him on He continued to hold on digging at Charlie, until he managed to break Jakes grasp.

'I said get of me!' Charlie panted holding Jake against the bars.

'All, right now it's just like that when you're in the water.' Jake said simply. It was just then they herd ratterling keys and the sound of footsteps. They looked up the corridor to see Chief Skinner and a guard coming towards them.

'Well, now. We could come back, give you boys time for a smoke and some pillow talk.' the guard said laughing, but the unimpressed look on Skinner's face silenced it as he realized both Jake and Charlie.


	12. Chapter 12

'You can't kick us out,' Jake protested as they walked along the corridor.

'It's called disorderly conduct and yes, we can,' Skinner said. Walking ahead.

'We didn't fail at nothing.'

'Our profession is all about control, you both failed miserably in that department. Hold it right there.' he said stopping them, outside Andrea's office and entered.

'Senior, they disenrollment records.' Skinner said handing a file to Andrea.

'Bar fight?' Andrea said with raised eyebrows, 'all right bring them in.'

'Senior, square it!'

Jake and Charlie came hobbling into the room, Andrea tried not laugh at the state of them, but it was hard.

'It's all my fault Senior Chief,' Jake said. 'Hodge had nothing to do with it.'

'Is that true Hodge?' she asked.

'It's true.' Jake interrupted.

'All right, fine you're dismissed.'

'Senior Chief, I was ...' Charlie began, but Andrea cut him of

'I said your dismissed.' she said again, quietly.

Hodge and Skinner both left, there was silence for a few minuet's before Jake spoke.

'You're going to kick me out for defending the coast guard.' Jake asked.

'The coast guard has been around for 200 years,' she said closing the office door. 'I doubt a couple of Knuckleheads like yourself are going to defend it, sit down' He sat and so did she.

'I've been trying to peel the layers back on you for a while now, and I ... I just don't get it. I mean, this kind of work seems a little remedial, for someone like yourself. You know, big swim champ, offer to every Ivy League, you give it all up to be here with us, why? She asked

'I'm here to save lives Senior Chief.'

Andrea nodded she looked a little uncomfortable and after a minute said without looking at him

'I spoke with your coach, Jake.'

He looked a little shocked or was that stunned.

'You spoke with my coach?' he said looking at her, eyes a little wide.

'Yeah I spoke with your coach, something in your file just kept, hanging me up. You win the country's championship, your final and senior year and then you don't swim the next two. I'm just a public school gal, so pardon me, but it didn't add up until … now.'

In front of Andrea had been Jake's file that she had now opened in front of him, and if finally made sense. She could see Jake's eyes become watery, and could see the lump in his throat. Inside Jake's file had been an old news paper cutting, from three years ago. The headline read:

**''Swim Team Killed In Fiery Crash ... One Survivor.''**

Underneath the headline, was a photograph of a grey fiery car, it was missing its front, as it had been completely smashed. Jake sat there and didn't say anything as Andrea picked up three medical reports and started to read.

_**'Kirk Holloway, 100 – meter medley winner, thrown threw the passenger window. Pronounced dead at the scene' **_

_**'James Ikeman, first team All – England, lungs crushed.'' **_

_**'Carl Sandoval, 50 – meter freestyle champ, made it all the way to the hospital, died of internal bleeding.'**_

She placed each report in front of her on the desk and looked at Jake. There was silence for a few minutes, the Jake slowly stood up, she could see the tears running down his bruised face.

'I guess you just know everything, then.' he said heading for the office door.

'I know what it's like to lose a team.' she said standing up.

'Yeah?' he said turning around, 'What about living in a small town where everyone thinks you killed their brother or their son or their best friend. You know about that?'

'The kind of small town where everyone still waves to everyone, just not to you.' yeah she knew the feeling. 'I read the report Jake; your blood alcohol was zip that night. I'm guessing there was a flip for designated driver. You lost.'

'Guess that just makes it all go away, hugh?'

'No it doesn't make it alright, it makes it and accident. At least that's how it reads. You were 16 years old Jake, I'm not your priest, but if I was, I think ... I think maybe you deserve a pass.'

'You're giving me a pass?' he looked at her like she was stupid. 'You just think you know everything with your psychobabble bullshit. Why am I here? Why are you here? You don't want to be here look at you, you're washed! You don't wasn't to be teaching a bunch of kids in a pool. Am I right?' he yelled, 'I don't give a dam about what you read or who you talked to,' he said throwing the file onto the floor, angry and tears on his face. 'You don't know anyhting about me! You don't ... I have me under control!'

'I can see that.' she said calmly, she turned around and picked up the file from the floor. 'The only difference between you and me is, I don't wear the ones I lost on my arm, Jake. 'She turned to look at him, 'I know where you're at Jake, because I'm their myself.' she could feel the tears in her eyes now, but she didn't cry. 'I ask myself everyday why I was the one that survived.'

'And?' he asked quietly

'And ... and if I can't answer that for me, I'm certainly not going to try and answer it for you ... have a seat.' she said and Jake sat back in his chair.

'I want you to start being a member of this team,' she said looking at him. The team you have now. You have a gift, Jake. You're the best swimmer to come threw this program hands down by far,' even better then her. 'You've got a whole record board to prove it. But you know what I see when I look at it? I see someone who's fast enough, who's gonna get there first. I see someone strong enough who's gonna last. I see someone who can save a life that maybe nobody else could. You really wanna honor the initials on your arm? Then honor your gift. Save the ones you can Jake. The rest, we've gotta let go.'

Jake quietly nodded, 'Dose this mean your not going to fail me?' he asked wiping his face.

'For what? Backing up a buddy in a bar? Man I've got bigger problems then you.' she said standing up. 'I don't know about you, but i could use a drink,' she said grabbing her keys of the top of the filing cabinet and putting on her coat. Jake smiled at her. 'I'm gonna consider everything tonight off – record and off – duty' she said walking towards the door. 'That was an invite' she said smiling. As Jake got up and followed.

* * *

'You have got to be kidding me?' Jake said getting out of the car.

'What was it they called you?' Andrea asked as they walked towards the bar.

''Puddle Pirates'' but it's not ... I'm way over it, Andrea. This is... this is like sticks and stones,' he said following her.

'Well we'll just have one beer,' she said walking into the bar, Jake walking cautiously behind her. Over in the corner sat the same sailors as before, Jake was looking nervous

'Great, there angrier and drunker perfect.' He said in a whisper to Andrea.

'Hi, two beers' Andrea said to the bar woman as she sat down on a bar stool, but she had just spotted Jake and was looking at him in amazement.

'You gotta be kidding me?' she said looking at Jake

'That's what I said,' he said looking at Andrea, who looked perfectly calm.

'Look I don't want any trouble OK.' She told him before walking off to get there drinks. Jake glanced over at the sailors then pulled his collar up a little trying to hide his face.

'They really don't like us, do they?' he said to Andrea, who was sitting looking over at the sailors in the corner of the room, they were well on their way to being drunk.

'They think they're better than us, because they're combat - oriented' she told him, taking a drink of her beer, 'Where the Coast Guard Jake, no one really appreciates us until they need us.'

Andrea looked over at two guys, one who was telling the other a very funny story and as she watched him punch and invisible guy, Andrea had a pretty good idea about what was so funny.

'Is that him?' she asked.

Jake turned hiding his face behind his collar.

'Yep.'

It was then, that they noticed and started to come over.

'So let me ask you a question, before we start bleeding.' He said nervously 'All those saves, what's your real number?'

Andrea just looked at him, she was saved from answering the question by the appearance of the sailors.

'Have you got a death wish or are you just shit stupid?' He said looking at Jake.

'I'm going to go with stupid this time.' Jake said nodding

'Hi.' Andrea said smiling at him and standing up.

'Hi.' He said, 'who's this chick your mother?' he said sarcastically.

To Jake's amazement Andrea started to laugh.

'You know I'm really glad you're still here,' Andrea told him, smiling.

'Oh yeah?'

'Yeah.' She said, the next second, she had kneed him in his 'man hood', as he was double over in pain she grabbed the back of his head and wacked it of the bar three times before standing up and pushing him half unconsioc towards his buddy.

There was a pause then the whole bar stood up ready to fight.

'Behind you,' Jake said as they both stud up back to back.

'Stand down! Stand down!' a voice shouted and everyone froze.

They all looked at what appeared to be there senior officer who was looking at them.

'I think you'd better leave,' he said looking at them, Jake who stood with his fist in the air and looking scared stiff.

'OK.' Andrea said, just as she would say to her mother if she asked her to put the kettle on, she looked at Jake who still had his fist in the air. 'Come on Jake.' She walked towards the door; Jake followed her with his back towards the door looking nervous.

'Everyone sits down have a drink!' the senior officer shouted the moment Jake and Andrea had gone, as though nothing had happened.

'Well that went a lot better then I though.' Andrea said as they head for the car.

'Yeah,' Jake said in a state of shock, 'What the hell was that?' he asked her as she smiled.

'I'm not sure.' She said grinning.

There was a pause then Jake said, 'Look em, I want to apologies to you about before,' she stopped and looked at him, 'about you being washed up and everything else I said.' She didn't say anything, but went to open the car door. 'Is there anything you would like to say to me?' he asked her.

'Like what?' she said looking at him with a straight face.

'I don't know, I apologized to you, you know I just thought that, you know there may have been something you said or done that you would like to apologize to me for.' He said

'Why.' She said, still keeping a straight face.

'Cause that's how it's done, you know, you ….. you suck at apologies,' he said walking round the over side of the car ramberling. 'You know that. I mean you missing the whole concept.' He said getting into the car still rambering. Andrea smiled to herself before she followed him

* * *

AN: Sorry havn't updated for ages, kind of lost my motovaton which i'm happy to say has now returned, thax to the loyal readers who keep readin n reviewing,more soon, LM x


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